By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA – President Bola Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) posthumously on the four Ogoni leaders, Albert Badey, Edward Kobani, Theophilus Orage, and Samuel Orage. who were killed during the Ogoni crisis. The awards were announced as the President received the report of the Ogoni Consultations Committee at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.
In a move aimed at fostering reconciliation, President Tinubu urged the Ogoni people to “put this dark chapter behind us and move forward as a united community.” He acknowledged the pain and sacrifices endured by the people and emphasized that the national honours are a step toward healing and justice.
In a significant development, the President also announced plans to facilitate the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, which has been suspended since 1993. He stated that the government is encouraged by the “overwhelming consensus” of the Ogoni communities to restart production.
To this end, he has directed the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to begin engagements with key stakeholders, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Ogoni communities, to finalize the modalities. The Minister of Environment was also tasked with integrating environmental remediation into the dialogue and implementation process.
The move to restart oil production and address past injustices comes nearly three decades after the crisis escalated, culminating in the execution of writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni leaders in 1995. The Ogoni Consultations Committee, led by Prof. Don Baridam, presented a report that reflects the collective will of the people, demanding structured participation in oil production and accelerated environmental cleanup.